Why Dadaocheng should be your first stop in Taipei? This charming neighborhood, sometimes referred to as Old Taipei, is smaller, quieter, and way more manageable. Filled with tea shops, traditional apothecaries, artist’s boutiques, temples big and small, and of course, the area’s most pronounced feature of Japanese colonial-era buildings (and a few homes and shops dating back to the Qing dynasty), you’ll find no more charming a neighborhood in which to base yourself in Taipei than the Dadaocheng neighborhood.
Though there are plenty of hotels in the Dadaocheng neighborhood, if it’s history and local charm you’re after, you can’t do better than the DG, a quirky boutique hotel on the northern end of Dihua Street in a restored Japanese-era Colonial building.
What’s more, there are no shortage of places to eat, drink and be merry in Dadaocheng, with the majority of these being along the main drag (Dihua Street). From traditional Taiwanese noodle and rice dishes to fried chicken and thick squid soup, Dadaocheng is definitely a spot where locals come for comfort food.

In Taipei, you are never far from a century-old tea shop. Blessed with frequent international exchanges over the centuries, the city is the confluence of tea houses from different cultures. No matter where you roam, there is no way you can miss the elegant smell of tea among Taipei’s streets and alleys.

Everything from massages, facials, detox, and collagen treatments can be found in the smallest yet most luxurious of spas. Here I explore some of the best spas around Taipei, each with their own unique offerings.

From March to June, Azaleas, calla lilies and hydrangeas take their turns to appear on Yangmingshan. Many of these gorgeous blooms can be visited one after the other as a day trip. Below are some popular routes for flower viewing in the spring.

Japanese florist Takako Mine recalls. To Ms. Mine, flowers have long been a tool to explore the world and a very important part of her life. This did not change after she relocated from Tokyo to Taipei. In fact, her life has never been so bright thanks to the inspiration of Taipei, a city filled with colorful flowers.

Dining in Taipei means never wanting for choices. In this article, we’ll be visiting five restaurants in Taipei ranging from classic Chinese cuisine to hipster fusion to straight-up Taiwanese flavor. Enjoy!

Ximen is one of those neighborhoods that almost every visitor to Taipei ventures into. The casual visitor’s first impression after ascending from the MRT is a sea of bright lights cascading into a large pedestrian shopping area packed with thousands of people out for an evening stroll, on their way to see a film, go shopping or have dinner.

Home to artist hangouts, tons of amazing restaurants, trendy clubs, luxury malls, Taipei 101, the Xinyi District is more than just the Commercial hub of Taipei. It’s also a spot worth spending at least a full day exploring on any visit to Taiwan.